Migrant labourer in transit to WB dies in Chhattisgarh of COVID-19

Samples of a 36-year-old migrant labourer, who died in Chhattisgarh's Durg district on May 24 during transit to his home state West Bengal from Maharashtra, tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, officials said.

This is the first death due to COVID-19 reported from Chhattisgarh but the deceased did not belong to the state, they said. "On May 24, the man was on way to South 24 Parganas in West Bengal from Mumbai in a bus along with other migrants. The bus broke down at Charauda town where he complained of chest pain," Durg Collector Ankit Anand said. He was given water to drink following which he died, he said.

Later, four relatives who were with him were alighted from the bus and the vehicle, proceeded to its destination with the rest of the passengers after repairing, he said. "The sample of the deceased was sent for testing to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Raipur on Monday which returned positive this evening," the collector said.

The rapid testing for coronavirus of the four relatives of the deceased came out negative. However, they have been kept in a quarantine centre and their samples were sent for RTPCR testing to AIIMS Raipur, he said. Chhattisgarh on Tuesday reported 68 new COVID-19 cases, taking the total case count to 361.